Steal Your Heart
by KellyLovesR5
Summary: Leave it to me to take a major Auslly moment and turn it into a Rosslington fan fiction. WOW! 253 views! Thanks, everyone! :) Read and review, please and thank you! :D One-Shot. Rated T for sexual scene.


**Steal Your Heart**

_You're a good girl…_

Ross smiled as he sat in his director's-style chair and watched Calum and Raini acting on the "Austin and Ally" set. Calum had just knocked over yet another set of instruments, and Laura stormed on stage and demanded payback as she shoved Austin's - very long - bill into his face. Calum recited his punch line and the set lights faded even before the director yelled, "CUT! Perfect!"

Ross slid out of his chair to join his fellow actors. He smiled at Laura, who was giving him an enthusiastic wave as she exited the counter. A week ago, she had told him that she really liked him, but she wouldn't have had to tell him. Off set, Ross had sighed as she constantly flirted with him and invited him on dates and such. Ross had never obliged, mainly because he was too busy touring with R5. Ratliff and the siblings walked over, too just as Ross was meeting up with Calum. "Hey man, that was great," Ross said as he gave Calum a pat on the back. Calum flashed that star-quality smile and nodded at him. "Thanks, bud," he said, and then he turned and began talking with Riker. Ratliff smiled and turned to Ross. "Hey, you did pretty great today, too, buddy," he said. "That scene from earlier was awesome!"

Ross smiled as he turned to face Ratliff. "Thanks," he said shyly. There was always something about the high reviews from his close friends and relatives that made Ross a little nervous about his acting. It was as if he were afraid that he might actually do something wrong. Rydel came bouncing over and hugged Ross as she once again sang her praises on his work. The group chatted freely and hung out for the rest of the day.

_The perfect picture of an angel's smile from a magazine._

Ratliff sighed as Ross threw his arms around Laura on stage. The family had joined on the set for another live taping of "Austin and Ally," and Ratliff had been all too excited to come with. But, as Ross had hugged him that morning for the first time in two weeks and Ratliff had watched him acting again, he had realized something. He was in love with him.

Yes, he was in love with his best friend. With his_ male_ best friend. But, who cares? Because when Ross smiled, and Ratliff's whole face seemed to light up, and when Ross talked, and Ratliff bit his lip and listened intently, Ratliff knew that he was in love. And nothing could change that.

Except for this one problem. Laura was in love with him, too. She had told him that only a week ago, and Ross had complained about it to Ratliff while on the tour bus. Ratliff had considered telling Ross that he had feelings for him, but it just felt too awkward. _What if it ruined their friendship? And then, there was the possibility of rejection. Plus, Ross had his career to worry about. What would happen if the company or his fans found out that he was in love with a man?_

Ratliff sat back in his seat and determined to keep his mouth shut for just a little while longer. Maybe Ross would clue in after that long. _Haha_, Ratliff chuckled. No way was Ross going to find out.

_But, it's a new world. And I know so well the side of you no one's ever seen._

Ross grinned as he viewed a text from Ratliff. He had had yet another long day on set, and he was eager to get on the bus and relax with his best friend and a pop in a movie. Ross tapped his screen as he texted back a witty remark: "I'll be counting the seconds. ;P" Sometimes, it was fun for him to just play with Ratliff.

For a while now, Ross had noticed a change in Ratliff's usual behavior. His smiles had gotten a little sweeter, his eyes had grown a little brighter, but most of all, he had gotten a little quieter. Ross had immediately noticed when Ratliff had stopped replying to his sentences first, before everyone else. Ross had begun to worry when Ratliff didn't answer any of his calls right away. And Ross had truly worried when Ratliff had generally stopped talking to him altogether.

Then, Ross had realized it. Ratliff had gone silent and distant the minute that he had told him about Laura's crush on him. Ross had even had to beg him for a reply about the whole thing that night, to which Ratliff had only given him a half-hearted, "Hey, that sucks, man." Ross had frowned at him as he walked out. Ratliff felt the same way, and he wasn't even going to tell him.

So, Ross waited the whole week for Ratliff to finally be out with it so that he could let him down gently, the way that he had with Laura. Which he wasn't all too excited for. Tapping his pen against a fan-sent notebook as he rode in the car, Ross sighed and wondered what Ratliff would say to him.

_You're rejecting me? What do you mean you don't feel the same way? Are you really sure about this? Can't we just try it? Just once?_

…All thoughts that Ross didn't really want to consider as he closed his notebook and reached for this week's "Austin and Ally" script.

_Hey now, baby. No doubt about it! …You drive me crazy._

Ross sat at the dining room table in his parent's home. The group had been given a week off from the tour for photo shoots, and Ross was relaxing before he had to go back on set for "Austin and Ally." He leaned down and pitched his fork into a hearty slice of cheesecake. Ratliff walked in and eyed the slice as he poured himself a glass of water. "Hey buddy," he said, and Ross smiled. He secretly liked the way that Ratliff sometimes called him that. It made him feel… unique, like he was one of a kind. Ratliff sat down next to him and flashed an endearing smile. "Ready to kill it on set tomorrow," he asked. Ross stared back at him. He tried to deny the butterflies that were forming in his stomach as he stumbled over his words. "Uh, yeah, sure," he said. Ratliff eyed him. "Are you sure you aren't a bit tired there, buddy," he asked.

_Oh, God, there's that nickname again, _Ross thought. He quickly picked up his plate and stood. He wanted to get Ratliff out of there as soon as possible. "Yeah, I think I'm going to take a nap," he replied as he headed towards the fridge. Ratliff stood with him. "Okay, well I'll let you sleep then," he replied as he exited the house and headed for his car.

_Oh my god,_ was all that Ratliff could think as he felt his feet drag him out of the door and into the driveway. Ross really liked him. He really liked him! That look that he had given him at the table, it was love. All that Ratliff had done was smile at him and Ross had looked like he wanted to slam him against the wall and maul him with his kiss. Ratliff got a little shooken up at the thought of it, and then plopped himself into his car and revved up the engine, roaring off toward the highway for a very long and thoughtful drive.

Ross flopped backwards onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He sighed, and he felt his chest heave with the depth of it. He just couldn't help it. The way that Ratliff had looked when he sat down next to him… _Damn._ Once again, Ross considered all that could happen if the two of them really did get together.

_I'm pleading guilty to the way you make me wanna steal your heart. Steal your heart!_

A few days later, Ratliff sat and drummed his fingers against his kitchen table. His lips were pursed and his eyes were glazed over in deep thought. Finally, he slammed his hands against the table and stood up, shouting, "That's it!" If Ross wanted to be with him, then by goodness, he was going to be with him. Ratliff couldn't wait around any longer for Ross to figure out that he was in deep, romantic, and tragic love with him. Throwing on his cardigan and grabbing his keys, Ratliff made his way toward the "Austin and Ally" set.

Ross collapsed, exhausted, onto the couch in his dressing room. It had been a long week, just like all of the others, but this one had been different. To begin with, Laura had admitted that she was in love with him, even though he wasn't. Cue Calum's "Dez voice" in his head: _Awkward._ Then, Ross had realized that Ratliff was in love him too, only to be treated with silence and closed-off distance even while they were _supposed_ _to_ be spending time together. Ross sighed into the open air as he stared up at the ceiling. Then, the door opened, and Ross was faced with Ratliff himself.

Before Ross could even say anything, Ratliff piped up with a stern, "I need to talk to you." He closed the door behind him as he almost stormed into the room. Ross scoffed as he stood, facing him. "Damn right you do," he remarked. Ratliff gave him a confused glance and continued. "I know that this is… _really_ weird, and you're probably going to hate me, but I need you to know it. And I need to know that you will at least acknowledge that you feel the same way, too." Ratliff made a point to stare up into Ross' eyes. "I'm in love with you, Ross. I'm in love with every single thing that you do. Like, the way that you smile, and how well you act on set, and the way that you look at me, and dammit, I want to hear you tell me that you see that, too!" Ratliff paced the room as he spoke, and Ross was glad that no one was in the room to hear them. He glanced down at the floor as he tried to form a reply. "I think- I don't hate you, Ratliff. I just-"

Noticing Ross' flustered state, Ratliff quickly walked over and wrapped him up in a tight hug. Ross sighed and relaxed into him. "I love you too, Ratliff," he said, and Ratliff sighed down Ross' back. "Now, was that so hard," he asked. Ross smirked at him. "But you took forever to tell me, too," he said, and Ratliff pulled away from him. "What do you mean," he asked. Ross just laughed. "Ratliff, you've been sulking for like, weeks now. I knew exactly what was up." Ratliff gave an astonished look. "You really knew," he stuttered, and Ross nodded, pouting. Ratliff laughed. "Well, I guess that makes two of us," he said.

Ross stared seriously up at him. "Now what," he asked, and Ratliff turned his gaze back to him. "Well, that depends, Ross. I know that Laura is_ hopelessly_ in love with you," Ratliff smiled as Ross laughed at his remark. "But, do you think that, maybe, we could make this work?" Ross' heart stopped and his eyes grew wide. "I don't-"

Images of magazine covers and news headliners flashed through his head. Thoughts of what Calum and Raini and even _Laura_ might say to him bombarded his mind. Ross shook them off and stared directly at Ratliff again. He tried to be cordial, but it ended up just sounding forced. "Are you really sure that that's a good idea," he replied, and he regretted it as soon as he had said it. Ratliff's face was full of confidence, though. "Of course! If we're in love, then I definitely think it's the right thing to do," he said. Ross' face fell. Ratliff was just so into it. "But, what about the fans," Ross mentioned, trying once again to let him down slowly. Ratliff only shook it off. "They'll think it's hot," he said, smirking. "They already ship Rockliff all over the place. It'd be nice to see something else for a change." Ross smirked as he thought of Ratliff's timeline and the never ending tweets of pictures and fan fictions and who-knows-what-else. Still, he couldn't let his worries go.

"Ratliff, I just don't think that-" Ross was quickly cut off by Ratliff's screaming. "Wait, you don't think that this could work?" Ross gave him a surprised gaze. "Ratliff, I just don't want-" Ratliff quickly grabbed his keys off of the table, "Oh no, Ross, it's okay! You don't want to try it and that's okay, because I guess it just wouldn't work anyways!" Ratliff stormed out the door, and Ross could swear that he saw tears in his eyes. Damn. That hadn't gone at all like he'd hoped. But, Ross couldn't do much about it. He had to let Ratliff down one way or another. _But, do I really have to?_

Ratliff collapsed onto his bed and grabbed the pillow as he shoved his face into it. The one love that he'd ever thought could go right for him had gone horribly wrong. Kelly had broken up with him a few months before, giving him some crap about not being able to see each other enough, and Ratliff remembered how he had cried into Ross' shoulder about it. _Oh God, Ross,_ Ratliff thought as he cried harder into his pillow. His body heaved under the sobs as his mind tried desperately to catch up with him. All in the name of the public image. It was going to be a very long night.

_Call me criminal! I won't deny. You make me want it all, everything you are._

The next day, Ratliff had thrown on his sweater and huffed in his usual quick on-set pace as they were lead in for another live taping of "Austin and Ally." It seemed that Stormie, Ross' mother, just couldn't get enough of them, and she had every right. Ross had been doing incredibly well. Perhaps, the loss of sleep had just propelled him into a sort of adrenaline-induced genius. Ratliff sighed as he plopped into his seat and prepared himself for another long day of torture. The director yelled, "Quiet on the set," and Ratliff glared as Laura entered the stage. _Ugh._ He liked her as a person, and he couldn't really tell why all of his hatred had recently been forcing itself upon her. It should have been forcing its way into the media. Maybe he should start rallying for gay rights or something… Ratliff smiled at the notion, but he still couldn't mask the urge to punch a wall when he saw Ross' painfully bright smile while he acted with Laura.

_So, lock it up! Go on and try it._

_You can't be serious._ The thought ran through Ratliff's mind as Stormie announced that the family was all invited to a live gig of "Austin Moon's Best Songs" on the beach. Ratliff had been excited that he was actually getting a weekend off from everything, and now, this? Gritting his teeth, he decided that he would have to grin and bear it. He didn't dare to hurt the Lynch family after all that they had done for him. Even if it meant dealing with Ross.

The crisp air outside was admittedly refreshing the day of the show, and Ratliff folded his arms in front of his chest and half-smiled as he waited for the crew to set up. The band had been given the time off and the TV company had booked separate artists for the event. So, Ratliff stood in the front of the audience with Riker, Rydel, Rocky, Ryland, and Stormie on either side of him. Laura had been given VIP seating, and Ratliff was happy about that. At least he wouldn't have to sit next to her. And hear her screaming Ross' name. _Ugh._ Ratliff quickly shook the thought out of his mind. _Dear God, no._

As Ross came out on stage, the crowd cheered and Ross sort of danced over to the mic. He was dressed in full Austin Moon attire, and he had to admit that it made him feel a little bit more powerful than usual. Being the character meant that, for a little while, he didn't have to deal with all of his pain from the real world. Smiling, Ross pumped up the crowd and then leaned into the mic. "You're always on my mind, I think about you all the time… Umm, no." he sang. Strumming his guitar, Ross leaned in and tapped his feet, smiling.

Laughing, Riker yelled for his brother and began clapping his hands, and everyone quickly joined in. Ratliff did, too, and then he looked up at Ross. _Dear God._ He could swear that Ross had looked directly into his eyes when the first title line came: "It's not a love song."

Ratliff shook the thought away and continued clapping, giving a mostly fake smile. He watched as Ross interacted with every angle of the crowd, and even the band. Ratliff laughed as he agreed with Riker that it was still funny to watch him transform on stage from Ross Lynch and completely into Austin Moon.

Then, Ratliff looked up to a completely in-his-face Ross. Ross was pointing to him as he pretended to stare at some girl behind him. "We've come so far being just the way we are," he sang. Ross quickly leaned away and Ratliff was left stunned and paralyzed. Ross soon began his little shuffle on stage and then bounced toward the crowd. In another little move, Ross stared into Ratliff's eyes as he repeated the high-pitched title line, "This is not a love song."

Ratliff sighed as he tried to shake it off, but he just couldn't deny it when Ross looked directly into his eyes and spoke the line that would resound in Ratliff's mind for the rest of the day, "Definitely not a love song."

_No matter what you do, I'm gonna steal your heart._

Hell. Pure and living hell. That was the only way that Ratliff could describe these past two weeks with Ross. He had been fighting desperately to suppress his feelings for him, as Ross had obviously shown him at the show that that was the _better _option. But, it didn't matter. Whenever Ratliff saw Ross on the tour bus or acting _so well_ on set, he couldn't help but smile and feel his stomach clench a little. He wanted Ross, no matter what he did, and it seemed unfair to him that Ross had so easily stolen a piece of his heart and run off with it, probably never to bring it back.

Ratliff sighed as he forked at the rest of his mostly uneaten pasta, staring at the clock across from Ross' head. It had been twenty five minutes, and Ratliff had begun counting down the seconds before the cast and R5 would pack up their lunches and leave. He had tried so hard not to notice him, but it seemed that every five seconds he would find something that he liked about him. It had started with his hair. _Well, doesn't he look cute today,_ Ratliff had thought as he met the two groups after the cast's rehearsal. Inwardly, Ratliff had reprimanded himself for even having such a thought, and then continued on about his business.

But then, about five minutes later, Ross was busy ordering, and his index finger slid lazily down the top right corner of the menu while he gripped the rest of it in his hand. Ratliff felt a twitch in his jeans and begged himself not to have this problem here.

Ten minutes into lunch, and Ross had been tapping his feet for at least a sold eight and half now. Ratliff smiled at that. He had always liked how Ross had tapped his feet and drummed on random tables to pretty much everything he did. _No, not the thoughts of our childhood together, _he thought. But, he just couldn't stop.

Fifteen minutes in and Ratliff had to watch when Ross licked his lips that way that he did, slowly and languidly, just before speaking. Ratliff saw the thought process in his eyes, and he wondered fleetingly if he would be able to start and finish Ross' sentences, if he just tried hard enough. Shaking his head inconspicuously, Ratliff picked up his fork and returned to his meal, determining to actually finish eating something for a change. But, that had never happened. Fleetingly, Ratliff wondered if Ross had been having the same kind of thoughts about him.

_I confess! I kind of like it that you're innocent, keeping up your guard._

It had been two long weeks since the fight. Fourteen days since they had even spoken to each other. One hundred and sixty-eight hours since Ross had known what it felt like to hold him. _Of course, I never really had him to begin with, I guess, _Ross thought. He sighed. _Not after the way that I treated him._ It just didn't seem right. What did the press matter when he was so in love? Ross had been hopelessly falling for Ratliff since the fight. Noticing when he took food to another room instead of having dinner with the family. Hurting when Ratliff shoved his hands into his pockets whenever he was around him. Eyeing him and even covering up a laugh when Ratliff sent multiple death glares in Laura's direction. They were well-placed, and he had good reason, Ross thought. But still, it meant that Ratliff was jealous for him, and even that turned him on a little bit.

Ross was exiting his dressing room and turning into the lonely hallway when he noticed Ratliff walking towards him. He stopped, a little stunned by his presence. Ratliff stopped, too and stared back at him. "Oh," Ratliff said as he leaned one hand against the wall and tried to look unaffected. "I was just looking for Riker," he said.

Ross felt himself twitch. Without warning, his defensive side immediately kicked in. "Why? Do you need him or something," he said, and his words seemed laced with spite. Ratliff eyed him, feeling a little defensive now, too. "Does it matter, Ross? And yes, I wanted to ask him what time we had yoga in the morning. Do you know where he is?" Ross stepped back. "Why do you even do that stuff anyways," he said, completely avoiding the question. Ratliff gritted his teeth. "Maybe because I'm happy that I'm still on speaking terms with _some_ of the family."

Knowing that there was no one in the hallway and, honestly, just needing to blow off some steam from the hellacious week he had had, Ross began to yell, "You know, I never said that I didn't want to talk to you, Ratliff! In fact, I even tried to talk to you, and you completely ignored me! I would've said that I was just worried about the press! I would have told you how much I was in love with you and how happy I was that you'd finally admitted it!" Ross wasn't really listening to himself at this point, the words just stringing themselves together as they fell from his aching subconscious. Finishing, Ross stopped and checked the atmosphere around him. It felt thick with the dense fog of unspoken pain.

Ratliff stared at him with wide eyes and a half-open mouth. He slid his hand down from the wall as a whole ceiling of shock collapsed on top of him. "You what," he said, unable to manage the words that he really wanted to say. Ross eyed him, regaining his composure. "You heard every word, Ratliff," he replied. For a second, Ratliff just stared at him. Finally, he pursed his lips and straightened his stance.

Ratliff then cupped Ross' face in his hand, turned, and pushed him up against the wall. "I don't care what they think," he said as he captured him in a kiss that assaulted Ross' senses. Ross moaned as he tried to pull away from him. "We'll get caught," he whined, but he smiled as he felt a jolt of adrenaline rushing through him. Laura could never have given him that. _No way._ Ratliff's lips met his again, and Ross felt like he was in heaven. How long had he waited to know what this felt like? To know how Ratliff tasted against him…

Ross moaned as he pressed himself into Ratliff's core, unable to fight the growing tension in his. This was the only thing that made Ratliff break away from the kiss, to gasp for air in a mixture of surprise and delight. He shoved his leg in between Ross' knees, and Ross gasped in equal surprise as he jumped and slid himself against him. Intertwining his fingers with Ross', Ratliff lead them backwards into the empty dressing room and quickly shut and locked the door behind them.

_I'll break it down, so you can't hide it._

Texting had become a saving grace for them. In a world full of cramped up rooms and constant cameras, Ross and Ratliff both felt safe behind the haven of their locked screens. Ratliff sighed as he eyed the text from Ross, sent the day after they had gotten together.

" Don't tell anyone, " it read.

Scrolling, Ratliff smirked at his reply message.

" Now, why would I go and do a thing like that? ;P "

Ross' next reply seemed heartfelt, but more and more throughout the week, Ratliff had been becoming unsure.

"I love you," he had answered. "You know what I meant."

Sighing once more, Ratliff closed his messages and slipped his phone back into his pocket, then headed for the door. If Ross didn't want to tell anyone that they were in love, then what was the point of being in love?

Ross sat coolly on his living room couch as he stared at the TV and flipped the channels with an overage of certainty. "Nope," he repeated over and over again as he desperately tried to find something to watch. Then, he heard a knock at the door. He smiled as he recognized the car parked in the driveway. _Ratliff._ Ross opened the door, and his expression quickly changed as he weighed Ratliff's. "We need to talk," Ratliff said, and Ross remembered fleetingly – as he tried to push away the memory – the first time that Ratliff had come to him like this. "Okay," Ross said as he let Ratliff in and closed the door, careful not to alert anyone. Ratliff paced into the middle of the living room and turned to face Ross. "I love you," he said, and Ross had to fight not to _sshhh_ him.

"Okay, but not so loud," he said, and he flitted a glance up to the stairs where his mother lay, napping. Ratliff scoffed at him. "That's my point, Ross! You're not even willing to show it." Ratliff's gaze was hurt, and Ross quickly grabbed his wrist and led him into his bedroom. Closing and locking the door, Ross turned to him. "What's going on," he said at a normal volume, and Ratliff rolled his eyes at him. "You're afraid of loving me, Ross. Just admit it," he begged. Ross just stared at him instead. "What do you mean," he said, and he watched as his answer sent Ratliff into a bit of a rage.

"I mean that you don't think that what we have is good enough for TV and that it shouldn't be published and that our families shouldn't know and- Well, dammit, that I'm just not good enough for you, Ross!" Ross closed the distance between them and grabbed his wrist, though he would have liked to wrap him in a hug. "No, Ratliff," he said. "I'm very proud of having you! I waited years for this!" Ratliff stared into his eyes, and once again, he seemed sincere, but he wasn't so sure.

Ratliff sighed at length. "Ross," he said, "If you aren't ready to be with me in front of everybody, then you aren't ready to be with me at all." Ross pulled back and stared him with a little darker gaze. "What," he asked. Ratliff felt himself quote his best friend. "You heard every word, Ross." Ratliff stared at him with a level of uncertainty, but he moved to leave the room. Ross grabbed him and turned him around. "Wait," he said. "You're actually telling me that if we don't tell everybody, you're going to leave me?" Ratliff huffed a short breath as he popped his collar forward, preparing for the cold outside. "Yes, Ross, that's exactly what I'm telling you." Turning and pulling himself away from Ross' grip, Ratliff turned the door handle and exited the room without a second thought.

_No matter what you do, I'm gonna steal your heart!_

Like a flood, all of the old worries had come back of what the fans would say and what the corporate offices would think and what the media would portray them as. Ross lay in his bed on most days and stared up at the ceiling in worry over everything. He didn't want to lose Ratliff, but he didn't want the press to turn this against him. Like it or not, Ratliff had an acting career, too, and it would be unprofessional of Ross to compromise that. Sulking, Ross turned over in his bed and hung his arm off of the side. He was once again exhausted.

Staring at his mentions, Ratliff sighed into his thin cardigan. The winter weather had been an even larger dampener on his mood. _Perhaps it'll just snow one day,_ he thought. _That would be fun._ Recently, distracting thoughts had been a sort of haven for Ratliff. Anything that was good enough to get his mind off of Ross. The two hadn't talked since he'd been to Ross' house, and Ratliff had begun to wonder if they would ever talk. Ratliff slid his phone away and turned on the TV, trying to find something other than "Austin and Ally" to watch.

The next day proved to hold an amazing change for the boys. Ross awoke with a sense of purpose and determination. He slipped on a thin white T-shirt and a sophisticated-looking black vest. His silver, metallic key necklace hung low on his chest and he combed his hair with a sort of detailed precision. Ross left the house with a jolt and headed directly for the studio.

Ratliff woke up with a sort of jovial feeling. He decided that he would like to dress up today. He would be going on the "Austin and Ally" set for yet another live taping, and it wouldn't hurt him to look nice for once. Finishing with a spritz of cologne and a focused amount of time on his hair, Ratliff left the house and cranked up his car.

When the two entered the set, the very front door was open for them, and both went in with a sense of confidence. Then, the two saw each other and both seem to deflate a little bit. Ross looked up at Ratliff and noticed how his cologne seemed to permeate the air in the nicest way. Ratliff began to turn away from him, but Ross stepped closer to him. "Wait," he begged, and Ratliff turned back. "What," he asked, and he didn't know if it had sounded too hurt or not. Ross ignored the clench in the pit of his stomach and began.

"Ratliff, I don't know what I would do without you. Having you here every week has been… the best thing ever. Even when we're fighting, I can't stay mad at you because you're so funny and sweet and _sexy_ and I just… I don't want to lose you." Ross sighed as he stared up into Ratliff's eyes. Ratliff gave him a closed off look. "Go on, Ross," he said. Ross continued. "I've seen it happen before, people will try to be happy, and someone will mess up the story and turn their lives into a living hell. I don't want you to get hurt, but I can't say that it would be worth it to never have you. So, what I'm saying is… please be with me. We'll tell my family today, and we can announce it to the press in the morning."

Ratliff felt his heart leap as his eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you're serious," he said. "You really want to do this?" Ross reached over and grabbed his hand. "I've never wanted anything more in my life," he said. Ratliff looked into his eyes and gave the widest smile he'd had in a long while. He pulled Ross into a tight hug and sighed into his shoulder. "I love you, Ross," he said, and Ross returned his tight hug. "I love you, too."

Ratliff pulled away from him. "Come on," he said. "Let's go." Turning forward, the two boys headed towards Ross' dressing room. When they entered, they were hand in hand, and everyone noticed them.


End file.
